Data_Sheet_1_Finding food in the hunger season: A mixed methods approach to understanding wild plant foods in relation to food security and dietary diversity in southeastern Madagascar.docx

In many rural farming societies, wild plant foods (WPFs) continue to play an important role in everyday diets as well as in coping with hunger during food shortages. However, WPF collection and consumption may pose challenges to biodiversity conservation efforts (e.g., in protected areas), and some “famine foods,” foods not typically eaten under normal conditions, may have deleterious health impacts. Using data from a cross-sectional survey of 328 smallholder farmers and fisherfolk living in 15 villages surrounding Manombo Special Reserve on the southeastern coast of Madagascar, we examine the relationship between food security, dietary diversity, and consumption of WPFs, specifically giant aquatic arrowhead or via (Typhonodorum lindleyanum) and Polynesian arrowroot or tavolo (Tacca leontopetaloides), during the region's main lean season. We complement survey findings with focus group interviews to document traditional ecological knowledge and perceptions of these WPFs, including how tavolo and via are rendered edible, as well as human health effects from collecting, preparing, and eating them. Using multilevel logistic regression modeling, we found that consumption of these WPFs were significantly associated with inadequate nutrition among farmers. Wealthier households were less likely to consume these WPFs as a coping strategy during food insecure periods, while larger and more food insecure households were more likely to consume them. These findings reaffirm the importance of access to natural areas and support the design of protected area conservation strategies that honor local foodways and consider WPFs that serve as food safety nets for more vulnerable populations.

在许多农耕乡村社会中，野生植物性食物（wild plant foods, WPFs）仍在日常饮食以及应对粮食短缺时期的饥饿问题中发挥着重要作用。然而，野生植物性食物的采集与消费可能对生物多样性保护工作（例如保护区内的保护行动）构成挑战，而部分“饥荒食物”——即常态下通常不会食用的食物——可能会对人体健康产生有害影响。本研究依托马达加斯加东南沿海马翁博特别保护区周边15个村落的328名小农户与渔民的横断面调查数据，探讨了该地区主要缺粮季的粮食安全、饮食多样性与野生植物性食物消费之间的关联，所涉野生植物性食物具体包括巨型水生慈姑（via，学名*Typhonodorum lindleyanum*）以及波利尼西亚葛根（tavolo，学名*Tacca leontopetaloides*）。我们通过焦点小组访谈对调查结果进行补充，以记录当地对这些野生植物性食物的传统生态知识与认知，包括如何将tavolo和via加工为可食用状态，以及采集、制备和食用这些食物对人体健康的影响。通过多层逻辑回归模型分析，我们发现农户对这些野生植物性食物的消费与营养不足状况存在显著关联。在粮食不安全时期，较为富裕的家庭较少将消费这类野生植物性食物作为应对策略，而家庭规模更大、粮食安全状况更差的家庭则更倾向于食用这些食物。本研究结果再次印证了获取自然区域的重要性，并为保护区保护策略的制定提供了支撑——这类策略应尊重当地饮食传统，同时兼顾作为弱势群体粮食安全保障网的野生植物性食物。